Strasbourg v Lens
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Sunday 3rd April – 12:00PM KO
Strasbourg remain firmly in the race for European football next season – and if they can finish the season strongly, they may yet even finish in the top four.
Their success has been based around an excellent home record, with eight wins and only three defeats from their 14 Ligue 1 home matches. They have negotiated a difficult run of fixtures at Stade de la Meinau in recent weeks but post wins over Monaco and in-form Nantes in their last three home game, while they also drew scoreless with podium-chasing Nice in late February.
Lens, meanwhile, have been in indifferent form lately, despite a relatively straightforward run of matches. It has likely cost them their chance of Europe next season. Although they are undefeated in their last two away from home, these games were against relegation-threatened opponents. They face a very different challenge on this occasion.
Indeed, when these sides played earlier this season, Racing picked up a 1-0 victory. It is one of only three defeats that Lens have suffered at home this season.
Strasbourg’s recent sequence of four draws in five suggests that backing them for a victory over 90 minutes carries some risk – although three of these did come away from home – but given that they have lost only one of 11, it seems improbable that they will be defeated here.
History supports this theory as they have lost only two of their last nine matches against Racing – and only one in five since their return to the professional ranks following bankruptcy.
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Prediction: Strasbourg Draw no Bet, 1.45 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Montpellier v Brest
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Sunday 3rd April – 2:00PM KO
Montpellier signed off before the international break with a remarkable 2-0 win over Bordeaux in which they played more than half the match with nine men. Although they will be left shorthanded as defenders Mihailo Ristic and Nicolas Cozza are both suspended, they are otherwise at full strength.
A recent poor run of form has coincided with injuries to key figures Mamadou Sakho and Stephy Mavididi, but both are fit and good to start this game. It represents a huge boost to the Stade de la Mosson club.
Brest, meanwhile, are not a team that typically travels well. They have won only four of their 15 away matches this season in Ligue 1 and suffered a 1-0 loss against an Angers side totally out of form before the international break.
The recess will not have helped their mood any. Indeed, head coach Michel Der Zakarian was left fuming with Youcef Belaili for returning late from international duty without informing anyone at the club of his whereabouts. With Jeremy Le Douaron also struggling with illness, they face being depleted offensively.
When the clubs met back in December, Montpellier were resounding 4-0 winners, ending Brest’s club-record six-match winning streak in the top-flight. Indeed, Montpellier are undefeated in 12 against Brest and have won four of their last five at home.
An extra level of intrigue is added to this match as the two teams swapped head coaches last summer.
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Prediction: Montpellier to Win, 2.05 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Troyes v Reims
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Sunday 3rd April – 2:00PM KO
The Champagne derby between Troyes and Reims promises to be a highly competitive affair, but it is also a game in which goals are liable to be at a premium.
Only Nice’s games this season have produced fewer goals than the 63 that Reims’ 29 fixtures have yielded this season, while Troyes have become rather more pragmatic under the stewardship of Bruno Irles, who arrived earlier this year.
Both of these sides come into the game in good form. Troyes are undefeated in their last four games, shifting them away from the worst of the relegation dogfight, yet none of these matches have produced more than two goals.
Meanwhile, Reims have enjoyed a remarkably good sequence of results given that they have been battling with significant injury issues. Nevertheless, these have invariably been low-scoring encounters. Only one of their last six has seen more than two goals, while their two most recent games ended in a 1-0 win over Angers and a 0-0 draw with Lyon.
Expect more of the same in this match.
Top scorer Hugo Ekitike had expected to return for the visiting side in this game but pulled up with a recurrence of a hamstring issue and faces another month on the sidelines. El Bilal Toure is also doubtful. With Arber Zeneli, who has returned from long-term injury with three assists in three games, also out, Reims’ attack will be significantly blunted.
Indeed, the top scorer Reims have available for this game is centre-back Wout Faes on four goals, which sums up their offensive position at present.
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Prediction: Under 2.5 Goals 1.50 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
PSG v Lorient
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Sunday 3rd April – 7:45PM KO
Paris Saint-Germain may be in the midst of their most difficult period in years, but they are a side that simply do not lose home matches. Indeed, this season only Nice have visited Parc des Princes and emerged without being defeated. Real Madrid and Manchester City are among the sides to have lost at PSG’s home.
This run should not change against a Lorient side that has won back-to-back away games but is more typically dreadful on their travels.
It would be a big surprise if PSG were to be pushed in this match. With Kylian Mbappe at the height of his form, having starred for France against South Africa on Tuesday, it is hard to see how Lorient can minimise their threat.
The hosts do have a significant injury list, but aside from midfielder Marco Verratti, those players who are absent are entirely replaceable.
Lorient, meanwhile, face a race against time to see if key midfielder Fabien Lemoine is fit. Even if he is available, though, it is unlikely to gritty player will see action from the beginning of the game, which represents a blow to their hopes.
PSG have won six of their last eight of their last seven Ligue 1 home matches by at least two goals. Clubs presently in the bottom half of the table have an even worse record – only Angers have avoided a multi-goal loss.
PSG may have had problems playing in Lorient recently – they were lucky to draw 1-1 earlier this season and lost there last term – but they have won their last five at home against this opponent by at least two goals. That run should continue on Sunday.
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Prediction: PSG -1, 1.50 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
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